Episode Type: Listening To Learn
Welcome to the first episode of Listening to Learn as part of the Grow Your Life podcast. In this episode, we're going to spend time asking questions of Inspirational People alumni Denise Renee about the unrest we're seeing across our nation.
The intersection of the complex world we live in with the Coronavirus crisis has surfaced numerous individual and systemic issues that Americans have failed to fully deal with despite the suffering that neglect and aggression have caused for much of the black community — With recent horrific events, including the killing of George Floyd by an officer using excessive force on a black man pleading for his life — American cities have seen an uprising of protests across the nation with many of them turning violent.
Now is the time for us to listen and learn as we seek out effective solutions to solve these complex problems. In this discussion, we'll dive into the topic of racial reconciliation and what we can learn and apply from the historic events that are unfolding around the country.
Connected With Denise Renee
Watch my interview with Denise Renee about Stories and Systems to work smarter and live better.
Visit Desise Renee's Website here and her writing portfolio site here.
Follow and Subscribe to her Youtube Channel here.
Connect on Linkedin, Facebook, or Instagram
Watch this interview at the following URL: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/others/reconciliation/525-denise-renee-racial-reconciliation

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of Inspirational People!
Today I get to the wonderful pleasure of introducing you to Toby Bloomberg. Toby is a long-time friend, collaborator, and fellow freelancer. She works with organizations to help them empathize with their customers and effectively communicates with them through social media marketing channels.
We originally met as board members of the Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association and we've been through numerous fruitful and challenging projects together. In this discussion, we talk about the simple act of breathing, how business models are drastically shifting, and how reflection and patience can help us wisely navigate the crisis we're all facing.
Connect With Toby
Connect with Toby on Social media - Linkedin or Twitter.
Visit Toby's website, Bloomberg Marketing, and learn how you can work to incorporate empathetic marketing in your business.
Visit DivaFoodies.com or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
To watch this interview, visit the following URL: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/523-toby-bloomberg

Book Discussion
In this second video book discussion with my friend Benji Hollis (VP of Sales at The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl), we dive into Louder Than Words by Andy Stanley, a book exploring the power of uncompromised living (affiliate link).
The book explores the concept of character, what it is, and how our character can change the trajectory of our life as well as the effect we have on others during the journey.
Benji and I both read this book as part of our Church's Leadership Development group we both recently graduating from. We've become good friends through the program and got a lot out of the read and subsequent discussion. We were inspired to discuss and share these insights with you in the following recorded discussion.
Here's the summary description on the book's back cover.
How important is your character? It determines everything about you! How much you will accomplish in life, and whether you are worth knowing. How you will respond to success, and how you will weather the inevitable storms of life.
This is a book about uncompromised living. It is about choosing every day to be a man or woman of integrity, a person whose actions speak louder than words. Bestselling author Andy Stanley challenges you to become what you were meant to be: a person whose commitment to doing the right thing, whatever the cost, will inspire others and change your world.
Click the following URL to watch this discussion.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/personal-development/520-louder-than-words-andy-stanley

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of Inspirational People.
Today, I get the awesome opportunity of introducing you to Elizabeth Dixon. Connected through our mutual friend, Jessica Lalley, Elizabeth is a strategist, innovator, and a speaking executive sharing on various personal and business development topics for organizations like the University of Georgia, Southwest Airlines, and the Global Leadership Summit. While she first began working for the wellness of the Chick-Fil-A staff, Elizabeth now leads the strategic design of hospitality and customer service across stores.
In this interview, we explore a variety of topics including the challenges of a crisis and how they can be an opportunity for us to develop habits, cultivate culture, innovate in new directions, and proactively plan for the future.
Connect With Elizabeth
Connect with Elizabeth on Linkedin and Instagram.
Visit Elizabeth's speaking website
Read Elizabeth's article Never Waste A Good Crisis
Click the following URL to watch this interview
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/518-elizabeth-dixon

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of Inspirational People!
In this episode, I talk with Akilah Charlemagne about the importance of staying connected, especially during seasons of transformation. She also shares a simple and effective process she leans into for growing herself and others, and how it's okay to say that we're not okay :-)
Akilah is a connector, speaker, career coach, and HR Business partner. She's passionate about energizing and equipping people to take risks and propel their careers.
Our mutual friend, Chi Chi Okezie, says Akilah is a powerhouse when it comes to all things HR and training and she has the ability to infuse her brand with her values to produce exceptional results.
My wife Cait connected the two of us, and now here we are!
Connect With Akilah + Links
You can connect with Akilah on Linkedin, Twitter, or Instagram.
Visit Akilah's personal website here.
Click the following link to watch this interview: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/517-akilah-charlemagne

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of inspirational people!
In this episode, I get to introduce you to my friend Todd Miechiels. Todd is the founder and vision bearer of the 315 Project helping people know and share their story wholeheartedly.
Todd and I originally met through a mutual friend during a catalyst conference almost a decade ago. We stay connected over the years and the 315 Project became one of my first freelancing clients when I began in 2014. We've stayed connected and collaborated over the years that followed.
As the world has changed, and we've faced this Coronavirus crisis, I've witnessed many people stand in the gap, and Todd is one of those people who has led others through his daily Linkedin worship videos. Impressed by what he's doing, it was apparent that I needed to get him on an episode so he could share his story with you.
Connect With Todd + Links
You can connect with Todd on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Visit Todd's personal website here.
Check out Todd's daily videos here.
Visit the 315 Project website here. Check out Steps of Courage here.
To watch this interview, visit the following link.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/516-todd-miechiels

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of Inspirational People!
I get the opportunity to introduce you to and chat with Andy Johnson, the co-founder of Harpoon, a cloud-based billing tool for freelancers and agencies to plan, forecast, and invoice.
In 2017, I switched over to Harpoon after I recognized how much the tool coincidentally integrated ideas and insights I wrote about in my freelancing book. I also highlighted Harpoon in my most recent book for small business owners, The Jump because of how the tool is designed to help you accomplish your goals, not just for doing tasks. After using it over the years, I've also become an affiliate partner and gladly recommend every freelancer start using it today.
In this discussion, we talk about how innovation often comes from our personal struggle and how effort and perseverance take us further than being propped up by abundant resources.
Connect With Andy Johnson + Links
Visit Harpoon's Website (affiliate link)
Connect with Andy on Linkedin.
Visit Andy's Personal Website here
Check out my articles related to the Harpoon software.
Read When by Dan Pink (Amazon affiliate link)
Watch this interview here: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/515-andy-johnson

Inspirational People
Welcome to this episode of Inspirational People, with Olga Kirshenbaum, the Money Whisperer.
Like my connection with Nancy Kleppel, we were recently connected through Trupo and the Freelancer's Union.
Olga, the Money Whisperer, is an author and a financial literacy advocate and the owner of Rags to Riches Consulting. She is equipping and liberating creative folks who find money issues stressful through her coaching and podcast.
Because of the nature of this Coronavirus crisis and the impact on money, talking with Olga was an essential interview!
In this episode, we talk about the Coronvairus crisis, and how we can wisely navigate it financially. We also explore how situations like this have a way of illuminating our underlying personal problems and what we can do about it to endure and emerge stronger.
Connect With Olga + Links
Connect with Olga on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram.
Visit Olga's website, Rags To Riches Consulting here. If you're interested in working with Olga to get your finances in order, click this link to book an introductory call.
Olga's Article: How to Rebuild Your Relationship With Creditors You've Been Avoiding
Kindle Book — Shmoney Guide: Making Money Choices Doesn't Need To Be So Scary (Amazon affiliate link)
Check out Olga's podcast, 9 Minutes of Creative Wisdom here.
Check out the mentioned task tool, Bella Scena here.
Check out my article about Epoxy stories here.
Click the following link to watch this interview: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/514-olga-kirshenbaum

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of inspirational people. Today, I get to introduce you to Chris Green. Chris is a co-founder and partner at Arch + Tower, a company that helps business leaders transform frustrated customers and disengaged employees into vocal advocates and loyal ambassadors under operational excellence. Arch + Tower is also a part of Frazier & Deeter, an award-winning accounting and advisory firm focused on investing in relationships.
I recently interviewed Arch + Tower's co-founder John Hightower, a connection facilitated by Jessica Lalley International. You can check out that discussion here.
In this discussion, we explore the people who influenced us, how we can professionally and personally navigate the Coronavirus crisis, how tragic life experiences can shape us for many years, and why having humility during a time of uncertainty is so important for facing the challenges that are flowing our way.
Connect With Chris
Connect with Chris on Linkedin,
Visit Arch + Tower's website or Frazier & Deeter here
Visit his mentioned website, NeedToLead.com
Click the following link to watch the interview: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/513-chris-green

Book Discussion
Welcome to the first episode (listen or watch below) of my book discussions. If you've been following along the blog for any sustained amount of time, you've seen my various book commentaries.
This previous effort infused with the current crisis inspired me to bring this book exploration process off the page and into your eyes and ears for topics that could help us better navigate the pandemic and its consequences.
Book Discussion Overview
In this first book discussion, we explore Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps: How To Thrive In Complexity by Jennifer Garvey Berger. You can explore my past book commentary here.
The book explores five quirks that in complexity trap us. The five mind traps are as follows.
Trapped by Simple Stories: Your Desire for a Simple Story Blinds You to a Real One
Trapped by Rightness: Just Because It Feels Right Doesn't Mean It Is Right
Trapped by Agreement: Longing for Alignment Robs You of Good Ideas
Trapped by Control: Trying to Take Charge Strips You of Influence
Trapped by EGO: Shackled to Who You Are Now, You Can't Reach for Who You'll Be Next
Contextualizing The Conversation To The Current Health & Economic Crisis
In this episode, I explore the concepts with a friend and fellow reader of the book Cris Anzai, Technology Product Manager for CablesAndKits.com.
We don't just talk about the Mindtraps, we also contextualize how they specifically apply to the current coronavirus crisis we've all been thrust into without much warning. The pandemic has taken what was already a complex world and thrown additional layers of complications on top.
When you look around confused and unsure (or sure in the wrong direction), you might be wondering how to effectively navigate the roller coaster. This book and our discussion aim to give you ideas and examples to traverse the situation as wisely as possible. And perhaps, it is the ladder we discuss at the end which will give you a roadmap for the best way forward.
Explore This Book's Concepts Further
Buy Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps on Amazon (affiliate link)
My Book Commentary: An Exploration & Commentary on Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps by Jennifer Garvey Berger
Watch the discussion here
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/personal-development/512-coronavirus-crisis-complexity-mindtraps

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of inspirational people with Nancy Kleppel. We originally got connected through a recent Freelancers Union event via Trupo, which she has been a member for almost 20 years.
Nancy is an Architect by training with thirty plus years collectively in the industry, with various incarnations. She's now a consultant to creative entrepreneurs and professionals who work at some capacity with built-in environments, including architects and engineers.
Nancy is also a co-founder, leader, and collaborator of a one-hundred-plus member relational oriented community, Brick & Wonder. They're helping organizations better position to be prepared for the unexpected (highly relevant now!).
In this discussion, we talk about how the crisis is affecting us and what we can do to respond. In addition to exploring cultural systems, we also dive into how this pandemic has forced us to reconcile our priorities and why generosity and relationships matter most. My favorite part of the interview is the final section of our discussion.
Connect With Nancy:
Connect with Nancy on Linkedin here, or visit here consulting website here.
Learn more about her group for creative entrepreneurs, Brick and Wonder, here.
Check out the mentioned article on the New Yorker here.
Watch this interview here:
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/511-nancy-kleppel

Inspirational People
Welcome to another episode of inspirational people.
I'd like to introduce you to John Hightower, CEO, and co-founder of Arch and Tower, a company that helps business leaders transform frustrated customers and disengaged employees into vocal advocates and loyal ambassadors under operational excellence.
Through Jessica Lalley International, John and I were both recently reconnected only to discover that we both participated in the same Lifework Leadership program in 2014!
In this discussion, we talk about why employee empathy matters right now, how EQ (Emotional Quotient) gives us an individual and collective advantage, and how business leaders can effectively navigate this season of uncertainty to take care of their people, their customers, and their business operations.
Connect With John Hightower
Connect with John on Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, and his Frazier Dieter profile page.
Visit Arch + Tower's website - Click here to view the 14-point review checklist mentioned in the interview.
Visit Episode Page: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/510-john-hightower

Welcome to another episode of inspirational people. Today I get the great opportunity to introduce you to and chat with speaker, entrepreneur, and executive consultant, Cheryl Mobley. Cheryl and I were recently connected by a mutual friend, Jessica Lalley.
Cheryl has a unique and relevant background to the current Coronavirus crisis we're facing across the globe because of her work leading a hospital during the Ebola pandemic as well as her more recent efforts consulting with executives to make wise decisions.
In our discussion, we talk about what it takes to lead effectively and stay calm when we don't feel that calm inside. We also explore decision making (good and bad), theory versus experience, working remotely, and the structure we all need to thrive in life.
Connect With Cheryl Mobley
Visit Cheryl's website and click here to access the free gift from Cheryl.
Connect with Cheryl on Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram
Check out the tool (AYOA) mentioned by Cheryl
Episode URL: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/509-cheryl-mobley

Inspirational People
In this excellent episode of Inspirational People, I'm interview friend and leader Duff Tucker.
We recently met in the fall of 2019 in a leadership development group I'm participating in through Gwinnett Church, our community home. Duff is co-leading our group and we've had the chance to connect in our monthly meetings and off-site retreat.
In this episode, Duff Tucker discussed what living intentionally and how a solid foundation anchors us in life and when storms come crashing in on us. It is the hard work of building on bedrock, as opposed to sandy foundations, that sustain us during the hardest times of our life.
Connect With Duff
Check out Duff's Winning At Manhood podcast here.
Connect with Duff on Linkedin here.
Watch this episode
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/508-duff-tucker

Inspirational People
In this episode of Inspirational People, I interview long-time friend Denise Renee. In 2010, I attended one of her events, and in 2017 she attended my Path of the Freelancer book launch event. In between those events and since 2017, we've stayed connected over social media as we've both pursued our entrepreneurial paths.
After seeing how awesome she has responded to the entrepreneur community in the midst of the Coronavirus, I invited her to interview to share her insights and inspiration on how to respond and adapt when life gets hard and you don't know what to do next.
Connected With Denise-Renee
Visit Desise-Renee's Website here and her writing portfolio site here.
Follow and Subscribe to her Youtube Channel here.
Connect on Linkedin, Facebook, or Instagram
Watch this episode at the following link
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/507-denise-renee

FREE WEBINAR For Entrepreneurs
As a business owner are you wondering how to navigate this Coronavirus crisis?
Are you wondering if you can continue to survive as the world shuts down? Can your company even survive?
Can you be the leader your family, team, and community needs during this unexpected pandemic?
Are you wondering if you can take care of your staff through this situation?
And ultimately, how do you transform your organization to adapt to what has happened and will continue to unfold over the following months?
If you are at all concerned about your small business, this FREE webinar is for you. We'll walk through what you need to do today to regroup in the midst of the Coronavirus storm, and how to effectively move forward through the uncertainty that lies ahead.
In my book, The Jump: From Chaos to Clarity For Your Striving Small Business, I explore how your business can survive through a crisis and how you the owner must grow yourself to build a long-lasting company.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/jump
In this 30-minute webinar, I will unpack these strategies and tactics to help you focus on the things that matter for this Coronavirus situation.
We'll explore the following topics:
Whether you should continue your business (regardless of the crisis).
If you continue your business, how you can structure it to effectively survive the crisis.
A transformational process to change your business from what it is to what it needs to be.
How you must level up as a leader to lead through this pandemic. Setting a firm business foundation that can weather the storms to come.
How you must bring your team along through the process.
Join me (Jason Scott Montoya) for this free webinar, and we'll explore these questions, ideas, and more.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/business-development/506-coronavirus-business

Free Webinar For Freelancers
The world is in crisis. Freelancers are caught in the storm. To help give us all freelancers a fighting chance, I've created a free webinar on how to navigate the Coronavirus crisis.
Much of the content comes from my book, Path of the Freelancer: An Actionable Guide To Flourishing in Freelancing. For this webinar, I'm repositioning, reordering, and augmenting the content to make it more relevant to this pandemic.
In this webinar, I answer the following freelancer questions as it relates to this crisis.
Should you freelancer right now?
What decisions do I need to make now, so I can focus on acting while minimizing distractions?
How do I go into a wise form of survival mode to give myself the best posture for success?
How do I navigate my financial situation so I can be best equipped to move forward?
How do I, as a freelancer, leverage this opportunity to build a phenomenal freelancing long-term career?
Access resources or watch this episode here: https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/freelancing/502-coronavirus-freelancing

Inspirational People
I'm excited to introduce you to Travis Dommert. While I first heard about IRUNURUN from a friend, I was formerly introduced through the Leaders Lyceum team when the was the president of IRUNURUN, a now inactive tool that helped people focus on what matters when there are distractions abound! It helped me realize how I only needed 40% of my time to accomplish the tasks that mattered in my business and I was simply wasting the other 60% on things that were not fruitful.
Over the subsequent years, we became good friends and around 2014 we both went through a season of transition during similar times. I became a full-time consultant and he joined the team a Jackson Healthcare.
In this interview, we explore systems and stories to live better and work smarter as well as how Travis' insights can specifically help us during the Coronavirus crisis.
You'll want to stick around for his final words about how iron sharpens iron.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/505-travis-dommert
Connect with Travis here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisdommert/

Inspirational People
In this interview with Don Neder, founder of Flowgevity, we talk about his entrepreneurship and technology background, selling his business to pursue the construction of a new company around the Wim Hof Method, Cold Therapy, and other science-backed wellness approaches to living better and healthy. Listen in on our active discussion.
Connect with Don Neder and Learn more about his business at the following link: www.flowgevity.com
Listen to this interview and learn more about me at the following link: www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/490-don-neder

Inspirational People
In this interview with Matthew J. Diaz, we explore his book, The Last Day of Regret, the stories inside and around it, and the journey he's been on since he first heard his sister talk about not wanting to live. You can read more about this interview, and connect with Matthew J. Diaz at the following link.
https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com/inspiration/people/469-matthew-j-diaz

Inspirational People
In this video interview, I (Jason Scott Montoya) interview my friend and serial entrepreneur Jason Long who shares how he cultivates his personal growth and moves his companies forward. Long also explores how he transformed during and after the most traumatic season of his life culminating in a horrific car accident that left him with brain damage. He leaves us with two tactical insights worth embracing in our daily life. *** Jason Long Links*** https://www.medrevup.com https://jhmediagroup.com https://www.brainleaf.com https://twitter.com/jasonmlong ***Jason Scott Montoya Links*** https://www.jasonscottmontoya.com https://twitter.com/jasonsmontoya https://www.pathofthefreelancer.com http://www.noodleheadmarketing.com